


Music And Lyrics

by caz251



Series: reel-torchwood [4]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Community: reel_torchwood, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-08
Updated: 2013-01-08
Packaged: 2017-11-24 05:07:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/630751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caz251/pseuds/caz251
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the lyrics are missing there is just music, Jack Harkness needs a lyricist he can work with, can his agent find him one that he can work with on more than just one song. <br/>This fic is written for reel_torchwood and is based on the film Music and Lyrics written so as to give the story a Torchwood twist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Torchwood or Music and Lyrics

Toshiko Sato sighed as she put the phone down, another cancellation. She looked at the diary in front of her, crossing out the booking, now she just had to figure out how to tell Jack. Barry Island had been one of their biggest venues, she wasn't looking forward to explaining to Jack that despite his charm he wasn't pulling in the crowds with the old songs, just middle-aged women. She knew that he would not release a new album, and after his first disastrous solo album she didn't blame him. He could write music, but lyrics had never been forte. That had always been Hart's domain, when it came to the music of Torchwood. Torchwood had been huge in the five years that Jack and John had worked together, although it had only felt like a few weeks at the time. Jack and John had formed the band Torchwood together and they had worked well, at least musically that is. They had been best friends and occasionally lovers, and they had been a great team, enjoying the life they had made for themselves. 

Toshiko had been their manager and had watched as they grew as a group, and been there to pick up the pieces of Jack that John had left in his wake when he left. Torchwood had been at the height of its success, but they had the opportunity to climb further and they would have made it if not for John accepting an offer that he received. A solo career on a better label, a chance to showcase his abilities on his own and gain all the profits and admirers for himself. Toshiko had not been surprised in the least when he had jumped at the chance, leaving without a second glance or care for Jack. Jack hadn't been too upset at the loss of his lover; they weren't in love, but rather friends who really enjoyed a good time. He was on the other hand devastated at the end of Torchwood, the first real thing that he had been good at. There had been other careers and jobs in his past, but Torchwood had been something that he enjoyed as well as being good at it. He had tried to make it himself as a solo venture, after all if John could do it then he could, he was just as good as the other man and slightly less destructive. He at least didn't need to spend a great deal of time in various rehab centres.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t that his solo venture wasn't as successful as John's, rather that it wasn't successful at all really. He was a great composer of music, and an amazing singer, but he wasn't a lyricist, and he had even bigger problems when trying to find a lyricist he could work with well enough to get work done. After the failure that was his solo album Jack had spent two years or so in a slump, of which he couldn't remember much at all, before pulling himself out of it. Or rather, she had pulled him out of it, refusing to let him wallow any longer. She had proposed the idea of doing smaller venues with the Torchwood songs, songs that worked, with a fan base that was already there. It had been working for years, and it had kept them both afloat, but that didn't seem to be the case anymore. Less and less people were turning up, and it wouldn't be long before even diehard fans stopped attending, at which point she was sure that the only thing she would be booking for Jack would be old school reunions. Hopefully things wouldn't come to that though, she just had to move Jack into another venture and the perfect one had come along only the other day. She had met with a young artist who had loved Torchwood and John in particular who wanted him to create a song for her new album. Toshiko had immediately agreed to have a demo done for the woman, and had begun to order Jack into production mode, setting him up with a lyricist that was supposedly one of the best in the business; Suzie Costello.

Toshiko grabbed her diary and her bag, readying herself to leave, knowing that she would need to sit over Jack almost to get him to play nice with the lyricist, he wasn't always happy about having to share his space, or working and cooperating with others. She knew however that he would make this work, mainly because he wouldn't want to disappoint her, she knew it was low, but sometimes using emotional blackmail was the only way to get through to him, and if it was what it took, then she would certainly do it. Arriving at his flat it was to find him sat at his piano looking ready to tear his hair out, something that she meant literally, surprising due to his vain tendencies, but she supposed it could be seen as being necessary. She had been informed that Suzie Costello was the best lyricist in the business, but she hadn't been informed of her eccentricities, which were plain to see upon meeting the woman. That is if you can call being completely insane an eccentricity, Toshiko was sure that she could get away with it. She watched from a chair out of the room as Jack tried to work with Suzie, her stare compelling him to at least try and produce something of worth. However with the lyricist she had chosen she could tell that that may be problematic, especially given the brief that she had been given about the song itself. The teen pop sensation Gwen Cooper, known to the industry as Gwennie, wanted a song about love, more specifically about loving over and over again, for some reason or other. Toshiko had been given a basic explanation about why she wanted that theme, something to do with an on and off again relationship if she remembered correctly, but she couldn't be quite sure.

Suzie was staring at Jack as if he was something distasteful as he bashed away on his Kawai. She tried not to stare at the woman and her messy hair as she rocked back and forth in the chair muttering to herself. Sharing a quick look with Jack she tried to hide her smile as he rolled his eyes. Jack let out a sigh as a knock on the door interrupted the womans mutterings and Toshiko used it as an opportunity to escape the tense atmosphere that was present in the livingroom. 

Opening the front door she was startled to find a young man in a suit on the doorstop. She looked at him for a moment, wondering what he was doing there, asking herself if he was maybe a friend of Jack's. She asked who he was and was surprised when the man started to ramble about a friend, a holiday, rounds and did she own a bucket, because she was supposed to have her own. She figured out from his quick speech that he was doing a friend’s cleaning rounds while she was on holiday, oh and his name was Ianto. She let him in and directed him towards the kitchen where she assumed that Jack kept his cleaning supplies before going back to the living room to referee Jack and Suzie's arguing. She couldn't help but wonder about the man in the kitchen though, who cleans in a three piece suit. She tuned back into the argument between the other two in the house to hear Jack recoil in horror. 

"We can't use that. Not for a pop song." Jack exclaimed. “There’s nothing pop about it.”

"Why not? It's catchy." Suzie pouted. She then began to recite, 'Love is a cold Mistress. Fooling you over and over, She is oh so vicious. Pushing you off the straits of Dover’.

“No.” Jack stated again, “Even I know it doesn’t work, and lyrics aren’t my strong point, try something else.”

Toshiko nodded, agreeing with him, they couldn’t present something like that to Gwennie, the poor girl would probably cry at the angst in it, having only ever sung light and fluffy poppy music before. She caught the look that Jack sent her, asking her what she had been thinking when she had selected Suzie as the lyricist to work with him on a pop song, she certainly wasn’t very upbeat, and she herself had to admit, even if just in her own head, that she may have made a mistake. 

Suzie sighed loudly, and slumped further in her chair, thinking for a moment or two. She then spoke once more, “Okay how about this, ‘Love is a cold Mistress, Fooling you over and over. A bitter mortis. Running you over in a land rover’.”

Jack's head fell forward hitting off the keys of the piano, before he pulled himself together, sitting up and looking straight at Suzie, ignoring Ianto who had come into the room while he was face down on the keys. "No! Definitely not! We need something fluffy and light and in love, not about death and dying and road traffic accidents." He then began to play the tune that he had come up with, trying to block out Suzie and her weirdness as she began to mutter to herself again. The first two lines that she had stated being a recurring feature in her mutterings, she obviously liked those two the best.

A voice humming along to the piano muttering words to themself joined in the sounds of the room, as Ianto worked away, cleaning the windows while the others worked. Toshiko couldn't tell what it was that he was saying, but Jack seemed interested as he perked up immediately, but then again that could have just been the result of seeing the handsome man for the first time. Apparently it wasn't though as Jack had stood and was demanding that Ianto repeat himself, startling the other man to cut himself on the edge of the window frame.

"Say it again." Jack repeated, seeming to forget that the man had just cut himself, or that he may not want to answer him, it wasn't as if he had any obligation to him, or had even met him before. 

Toshiko watched as the man tried to think for a moment before he spoke, "Love is a cold mistress, Fooling you over and over, Showing a perfect surface, Hiding that four leaf clover.” The young man finally replied to Jack after a couple of minutes pause.

Thinking over the lyrics Toshiko couldn’t help but smile at the disgruntled look on Suzie’s face, while Ianto’s lyrics weren’t perfect they were much better than that of the acclaimed lyricist, well less morbid at any rate. She watched with amusement as Jack completely ignored Suzie’s presence in the room, instead focusing all his attention on trying to get Ianto agree to work with him. The look of disappointment on his face as Ianto rebuffed his offers was quite amusing as well, it wasn’t often that Jack pouted, but he looked adorable when he did. As Ianto rushed off, intending to do something about his hand Jack yelled after him, telling him where he’d be that night and asking Ianto to join him. As the door shut she watched Jack turn back towards a glaring Suzie who looked ready to commit murder due to having been shown up by someone not even in the business.

“Do as you like, see if I care. I don’t want to write for some perky pop princess anyway.” She called back to him as she stormed off towards the door, slamming it in her wake. 

Toshiko looked at Jack and could tell that he was feeling rather drained already and it was only lunchtime. She could tell that he was worried about upsetting or disappointing her, and that he thought he had done by chasing her handpicked lyricist away, but she was nothing of the sort. Suzie hadn’t been right for the song, or as a writing partner for Jack, but hopefully Ianto would come to the reunion that Jack was doing that night and would agree to work with Jack, it was at that point she realised that Jack didn’t even know Ianto’s name, but still wanted to work with him. Toshiko didn’t care what it would take, she had to get Ianto as Jack’s writing partner, mainly because the other man had made such an impact on Jack that he had forgotten to ask his name, or even to flirt with him.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack stared out over the hall, looking at the attendees, school reunion were always fun, mainly because you knew that there would be at least on interesting fight and a few more outbursts over old issues or new lifestyles. The number of women flooding around the stage was staggering in that they were all vying to get him to touch them or let him take them home with him, the fact that they were either all middle-aged or even older, the old teachers were at this reunion as well, was terrifying. He couldn't believe that all his fans were now aging, it reflected on him as well, it meant that he too was getting older, but at least he still looked good. The only young person he knew of that liked his work was Gwennie, and he was sure that even that was just attraction to the looks of his younger self, then again he hadn't changed much, and was still very attractive. 

He scanned the crowd, ignoring the women waving underwear at him, looking for one man in particular. He really hoped that he appeared in the hall, the younger man had a gift with words, or he would have when he worked up the courage to do something with them. He had questioned Toshiko as soon as Suzie left about who he was, and for that matter what he was doing in his flat. It turned out that he was doing a friend a favour, and Jack couldn't be more grateful to that friend. Ianto, as it turned out he was called, was a rather talented individual, if only Jack could get him to realise his own potential. The man seemed rather shy about his abilities and appeared to hate attention, from the little of him that Jack had observed that day he could tell that the man as someone who could easily fade into the background and that he probably had done for years.

He didn't really believe that the other man would attend tonight, but he was hopeful, and not because he had liked the sight of him in a three piece suit. He was surprised therefore when he looked up to see the man walk through the door in a pair of form fitting jeans and a nice t-shirt, with some unknown woman on his arm. He watched as Toshiko set upon him immediately, probably questioning the life out of him so that she had more information on him than Jack. Toshiko really liked to be informed and he was sure that if there weren't such strict penalties on hacking and hackers that she would have information on Ianto right back to his birth record. Then again, she might have that, with her skills he was sure that she could get the information without getting caught, although it may be rather difficult without a last name, but Toshiko was always up for a challenge, she was his manager after all. He knew that he was a challenging person, and the fact that he was stuck in the past didn't help, especially as the world was moving on rather rapidly, Torchwood was the distant past to many, and he knew that doing small gigs singing the old songs wouldn’t yield any profits for much longer. Despite Toshiko's outlook on life and her ability to hide things from him to keep him in good spirits he knew that things weren't all sunshine and roses for them. 

It was for that reason that he was working so hard on this song, or trying to at least, but mad lyricists didn't really help with the creative process, especially not ones fixated with death. If he managed to pull this off, even with such a short time limit, he literally had like three days left to write and record the song to go on Gwennie's album, it would give him that boost from obscurity. Finding a lyricist that he could work with, and work well with was the problem though, the only one that he had managed work with previously had been John, and well that hadn't ended at all that well. He couldn't just ring him up and say that he was in a bit of a fix and could he give him a hand, for starters he didn't have the man's number, and he would never allow himself to degrade himself to John. He knew that asking for help in itself wasn't degrading, but to ask it from John, who had walked out on all they had built leaving him in obscurity would be. That was why Ianto was his best hope, he could tell that the man had an untapped talent, he just had to key into it and bring it to the fore and it could mean something great for both of them.

Jack watched as the woman dethatched herself from Ianto's arm, kissing him on the cheek before making her way towards the stage leaving him to talk to Toshiko. He watched as she forced her way to the front of the stage so that she was almost touching him. He smiled at her and watched her face as the smile lit it up in response, he could work with this. She was obviously a fan of his, and important to Ianto in some way, maybe if he got her on side then Ianto would be less likely to refuse his offer. He couldn't stop himself from thinking about what and who exactly she was to the young man, and hoping that they weren't romantically attached, as he found the young man rather attractive and wouldn't mind if things developed between them. Then again things hadn't worked out that well the last time he slept with his lyricist, maybe it would be better to keep things strictly professional, he was sure that Toshiko would agree. He finished his set as quickly as he could, making sure to pay special attention to Ianto's guest, even as he kept a watch on the young man himself. After all it wouldn't do to lose sight of the prize or to alienate a potential helper.

Finishing his set Jack jumped off the stage at the front making his way through the crowd, allowing the women to touch him if they wanted as long as it was above the waist. He made his way to where Ianto was stood alone, Toshiko now being on the stage wrapping up for him, and his friend making her way through the people that were gathered at the stage. He put on his most charming smile as he reached Ianto, hoping that the other man might be at least slightly enchanted by it and him, in the hope that it would make him want to work with him. He couldn't be sure it would work, but he would use everything in his armoury, he was sure that he might need to pull out the big guns on this one. He had a feeling that as well as not knowing his own self worth that Ianto was stubborn to the core. 

"I'm glad you came." He said, taking Ianto's hand in his and shaking it. "I was hoping you would come. Please say that you will agree to work with me, you know you want to." He stated, laying the charm on as thick as he could get away with, he didn't want the man to punch him, it might ruin his jaw, something that would be terrible, it was that jaw line that drew people to him, once seen it was always yearned for.

"My sister insisted I come once she learnt of your invitation, and insisted that I bring her with me." Ianto explained. "As to your offer," he began only to be interrupted. 

"Offer, what offer? I'm Rhiannon by the way, Ianto's sister." Rhiannon stated, thrusting herself into Jack's personal space. "Do you mind?" She asked, holding up a camera.

Jack shook his head, he didn't mind having his picture taken with her, she was a very attractive women, even if she was squashing him with her ample bosom. He watched as she handed the camera to her brother before squishing herself against him. As pretty as she was he couldn't help but wish that it was her brother pressed to his body instead. As soon as the thought hit him he tried to banish it. He wanted to work with the man he couldn't sleep with him, that would only make things complicated. 

He listened attentively as Ianto listed his arguments as to why he couldn't help him on the song, cataloguing them for later perusal and countering. He would win this man over, he had to otherwise Toshiko may kill him, or have to take on another client. The last thing that Ianto countered with cut him deeply, although it was obviously meant as a compliment, the words 'Why do you need a lyricist anyway, all the Torchwood songs had great lyrics.' were not ones that he wanted to hear. He felt Rhiannon shaking her head and groaning in dismay at her brother's words, before she informed him that he hadn't written them, something he was rather glad about, he didn't want to explain that he couldn't write lyrics to save himself. 

He didn't need to though, as Toshiko arrived at that moment, doing just that, even going on to use a few of his worst clashes of words to prove her point. He listened with half an ear as Ianto turned one of his appalling lyrical attempts into something halfway decent, trying to hide in embarrassment, this was not the way that he wanted this evening to go. He was unable to convince the other man though, and Rhiannon had gotten sick of waiting for her brother to take the picture had grabbed the camera and taken the picture herself, smiling widely at his side. The flash of the camera seemed to catch Ianto's attention and seeing that his sister had her picture he quickly thanked him before starting to drag her away.

Jack watched them leave, slightly bemused at the other man's actions, all the while wondering what he was going to do. Hopefully Toshiko had managed to find out enough about the other man that he could track him down. He set off to find his agent, with only one more glance towards the doorway that Ianto had disappeared through.


	3. Chapter 3

Ianto didn't know what had possessed him, well actually he did the demon that he called a sister. Rhiannon was a force to be reckoned with. He really didn't want to go up against her if he didn't have to, and in this instance it was easier to just give in. She would never have let it go if he had the chance to meet Jack Harkness and didn't take her with him. The experience could have been worse, he wasn’t exactly sure how, but it could have been. What he really couldn't understand though was why Jack Harkness wanted him to work with him of all people. Ianto wasn't a lyricist, he wasn't a songwriter he wasn't even that much of a writer any more. 

He hadn't written much in years, not since the last time he had partnered up to work with someone on a project, after which he had sworn off working with others again, for his own benefit. It hadn't been a nice situation, he'd been in a relationship and working with a fellow writer on a book, only to find out that she was actually dating someone else, an editor or something and they had been using his work and were intending to publish it under only her name while cutting him out of the equation entirely when they were finished with the writing process. He wasn't sure how they had intended to do that, probably say that no-one was willing to take on their work, all the while selling the same piece of work under a different name. After that he had stopped writing for a while, depression hitting him quite hard, He had been sure that Lisa was the one for him, even though Rhiannon had never liked her. His sister hadn't let him brood for long though and had pulled him out of his funk and made him work for the family business. So once again he was writing, but only slogans for a tailor’s shop, it wasn't something that would win any awards really, just something to keep his thoughts active when he wasn't measuring and cutting fabric and making suits. 

It was for this reason that he had turned down Jack's offer, he wasn't going to fall into the trap of writing with someone again, invariably it always led to heartbreak, or it had for him anyway. He was glad though that he had told the man in person, it wouldn't have been fair of him to allow the other man some false hope that he would appear back at his flat pen in hand ready to write. Jack hadn't seemed to take to the idea that he wouldn't be working with him, but Ianto was sure that he would get over it and find someone else, after all there were plenty of trained lyricists in the world, and Ianto wasn't one of them. Really all he had done was made something a little bit more palatable of what the crazed woman who had been in Jack's flat was saying. That certainly didn't make him a lyricist, and it was something that the other man would have to come to terms with and quickly if he was going to meet his deadline.

Ianto tried to put the entire situation out of his mind, he had nothing to do with the other man, he wouldn't be finishing the song for the other man he didn't work that way, not with others. He focussed instead on the design for a new suit that he wanted to try for one of their customers he had the man's measurements now he just had to adjust the style of the suit to allow for the man's size. He looked up when he heard the door open, it was probably Mrs. Swanson to pick up her husband’s suit but to his surprise it wasn't, instead standing in the doorway was Jack Harkness. Ianto sighed he knew that this wasn't going to be easy the other man just didn't seem to be taking the hint. "How can I help you?" He asked politely, before rushing on to say, "We can make any type of suit in any style you desire Mr. Harkness." 

He knew that Jack was laughing at him internally, and maybe a little outwardly as well if the snort was anything to go by. He glared at the other man daring him to continue with his laughter. The man seemed to sober, realising that he wouldn't be likely to get Ianto to do what he wanted if he annoyed him. He stared at Ianto for a few moments, probably trying to gauge Ianto's reaction to whatever he had to say to him, and Ianto was sure that his reaction wasn't going to be what the other man was hoping for. He wouldn't be working with him, and he certainly wouldn't be sating him or rather sleeping with him, if the leer on his face was indicative of his thoughts as he stared at him. 

"You are a writer. You have a way with words. You know that you can do this." Jack spoke, statements of fact flowing from his lips. Ianto could tell that the other man was hoping that his belief in Ianto would inspire him to want to write with him, but Ianto wasn't willing to become embroiled in a situation like he had in the past. "Listen" Jack continued, "It's just one song, it might not mean much to you, but to me it would be everything." 

Ianto stared at the man, he certainly had a way with words as well, but he wasn't about to fall for the other man's flattery. "I'm sorry." he stated sincerely, "I can't. Not, I won't, but I can't. I can't help you Mr. Harkness, I have never written a song before I just can't do it.”

"You already have" Jack stated quietly, "the other night. That was much better than anything that I have ever been able to write. You even managed to make something out of Mad Suzie's lyrics. You can do this, at least come with me and let me play the song you wrote." 

Ianto stared at the man for a few moments wondering what the other man meant, he hadn't really done that much, just threw together a few lines, that isn't writing a song. He quickly conceded to the other man, allowing him to pull him from the shop, towards a music shop not that far away. He must admit even if only to himself that he was interested to hear what the other man considered a song that he had written. When Jack sat down at a piano he was surprised when the other man pulled him down to sit next to him. Jack then began to play the piano, singing along as he did so. The song was short, it was really only one verse, but Ianto couldn't say that it was bad in fact he was sure that with a couple more verses and a chorus that it could be very good. He was mesmerised while it was played by Jack's hand, his fingers stroking the keys as if they had been made for exactly that purpose. 

"So what do you think?" Jack asked, looking towards him for his opinion. 

Ianto nodded, not quite sure what to say before settling simply for saying that it was good. He drew his attention away from the other man's hands in time to hear him start to speak again.

"It's better than good, unfortunately it's not what we're looking for, not for Gwennie’s song anyway, and we can't use the lyrics you altered of Suzie's so we need something new, and we don't have that long to do it, really only a few days, so we need to get to work." Jack spoke quickly his face not leaving Ianto's as he spoke. 

Ianto didn't know why, not really, but he found himself nodding along with what the other man was saying, agreeing to work with him and write a song. He was sure that he was going to regret his inattention, but as he found himself later sat in one of Jack's chairs listening to the man play as he tried to come up with some lyrics he couldn't bring himself to mind too much. To his surprise he found that he was actually enjoying himself in the other man's company, and that writing in the presence of someone else, with someone to bounce ideas off of wasn't that bad as he had remembered it. He supposed that his memories of previous experiences were just too tainted with the knowledge of what had transpired between him and Lisa for him to properly be able to recall the fun that he had actually had when writing with a partner.


	4. Chapter 4

Gwen Cooper had watched Jack Harkness and his writing partner closely as they mingled with people at her party; she had wanted to meet with them to hear what they had for her so far and to give them a deadline. What they had produced for her had been good and she could incorporate her own style within the song, but she needed more, and she needed it quickly. She was glad that she had Jack Harkness writing for her, she had really enjoyed both him and his music when she had been younger, and his music was still one of her guilty pleasures. That didn't mean though that if he didn't deliver the goods for her that she wouldn't go elsewhere, her album was almost finished, she just needed this one song, and she had several different artists working on a song for her. She had to admit though, that of all that she had heard so far that the collaboration of Jack Harkness and Ianto Jones had produced the best effort so far, and that she really wanted Jack to come through for her. She could just picture the two of them together on stage singing the song that he had put together for her. It would need remixing a bit for her style, but she was sure that Andy, her manager, could have that done easily, he knew all the right people after all. 

She’d watched as they mingled and she could tell that although Jack seemed to be enjoying himself that Ianto wasn't having such a good time, he looked awkward, as though he didn't fit in, and to be honest he didn't. He stuck out a bit like a sore thumb, but this had to be is first party of this type so she could overlook his awkwardness, she was sure that he would fit in better at her album launch, even if she had to get Toshiko to work with him beforehand. She had heard that Jack's agent was a miracle worker from Andy, the other man had even recommended the woman if she didn't want to work with him, but the woman was very selective with her clients, and only actually had the one; Jack.

Gwen had surreptitiously kept an eye on the two men throughout the rest of the party, while enjoying herself thoroughly, it wasn't that often that she got to just enjoy herself. She was after all a really busy person, trying to change the world, or the teenage world, one song at a time. It was something that she enjoyed doing, she loved her music and her fans, but at times it was good just to step back even if only for the one night and let loose. At least with this party she had only invited people she knew, celebrity or otherwise, and had completely banned the press, this party was just for fun, and maybe a little business, but that couldn't be helped. She had given Jack and Ianto her orders for the song just before they left and informed them that she would be waiting for them to provide her with a complete demo of the song before she left to go to the studio the next evening. She knew that it wasn't much time, only a few hours really, but she had every confidence that the two men could do it, even if they weren’t completely happy about it.

It was obvious to her that Ianto wasn't exactly happy with the changes that she wanted to make to the track, he was obviously someone who liked to keep the integrity of a piece by staying true to how it was written, but both she and her music were all about interpretation, and she wasn’t about to change because some novice songwriter wanted his lyrics to be presented in a certain way. She had wondered if they would come through for her in the end, the fact that Jack seemed quite willing to allow her to remix their work when Ianto wasn't, but the other man was an artist as well, he knew the need for interpretation in their line of work, he would convince Ianto, she was positive of it. 

Meeting with Jack that evening had been eye opening, he had come alone to meet her, but he wasn't completely focused on their meeting and she knew that something must have happened between him and Ianto as the other man had neglected to come with him. The song was finished though and it would fit in perfectly on her album, even as it was, that wasn't to say that she wasn't going to remix it to fit with her style, maybe she would have two copies of the song. As she listened to it she picked Jack's vocals out easily, but she had been surprised that Ianto had not been singing her part of the vocals, but then again, she didn't know if the other man could actually sing, instead Toshiko had sung the other parts of the song.

It didn't really matter to Gwen anyway, as far as she was concerned Ianto had played his part and was now surplus to requirements, she didn't need him for anything else she had the song, Jack was the one she needed now. He still had to record the song with her, and she wasn't going to allow him to back out of it. She didn't think that he would though, she knew as well as he did that this was his only real chance of becoming known again anytime soon. She wouldn't be completely happy about the fact that he was riding on her coattails a bit, but he would also be bringing another market to her music, the elder generation that remembered Torchwood fondly, and Jack in particular.

Gwen made sure that Jack was made aware of all the details for all the coming appearances and things that he needed to do. Her manager Andy was really thorough about these things, liaising with Toshiko almost seamlessly to make sure that their schedules worked with each other. Jack would record with her the next day in the studio and in two nights time he would get up on stage with her and sing the duet in front of her biggest concert audience yet to promote the launch of her new album. She left after making sure that he had the details, she had things to do before she met with him the next day, and she needed to make sure that she got her beauty sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Ianto felt like a fool, he had done it to himself again, allowing himself to be sucked in only to be chewed up and spat back out. He was a real glutton for punishment, why had he agreed to work with Jack Harkness, he had known that it was a bad idea, he had told himself this repeatedly, but he had still done it. He had agreed to help him write the song for Gwennie, and write it they had, but somehow he had also found himself in the other man's bed, something that he would never have expected from himself, it was just so out of character, even in his wildest dreams he had never imagined allowing himself to sleep with a man, especially not one that he was working with. Somehow he had though, once more he had got caught up in the excitement of working with someone, being creative and creative with another, and it had led them straight to the bedroom. Well, to be honest it hadn't, not really, the furthest they had got was to a chair at the side of the piano, but really that wasn't the point. The point was that he had once more allowed himself to get involved with someone, and work with them, and once more it had all gone wrong. 

He didn't know if maybe he had been a dictator or a warlord or something in a past life and this was his punishment, but he was definitely being punished for something. It seemed impossible that the fates were being kind in throwing people like Lisa and Jack into his path, so punishment was the only option. Everything had been going so well between them, Ianto's lapse in judgement aside, but then even that hadn't hindered their working relationship; no everything had been going alright until they had gone to Gwennie's party. The woman had demanded that they add another verse to the song, something that although wouldn't be simple he wasn't really that against doing, he could understand the need for a longer song, what he wasn't too keen was the way in which she wanted to remix the song. Gwennie's style while perfectly acceptable would change the song completely, the words would remain the same but the whole song would have a different vibe. 

He understood and agreed with the idea of interpretation and giving yourself to your work and making it your own, but this was too much like someone taking his work, changing it to fit their purpose and claiming it completely as their own. It was too much like what had happened with Lisa for him to be comfortable with it. Jack on the other hand seemed to agree with everything that the young woman had to say, and almost appeared to hang on her every word. Ianto knew that this really wasn't his world, he wasn't a singer, artist, famous, or even really that much of a songwriter, but he had expected that Jack as the man who had brought him into that world would at least stick by him and explain things, but he tried to be spending as much time away from him as he could that night.

Despite his misgivings Ianto had returned that night to Jack's flat where they worked out the other verse that Gwennie wanted for the song, Jack promising to discuss the changes to the song once they had the song written. Despite his attempts to calm himself down, the conversation had ended in an argument and him storming out of the flat. He had tried to explain his position, he had even gone as far as telling Jack about Lisa, someone that he tried not to bring up in conversation with anybody, and he even tried to stop himself from thinking about her if possible. It hadn't worked though, Jack seemed to be of the same position as Gwen Cooper, that once an artist has the music they can be as interpretive as they want with it as long as they give credit to the original writers.

He had spent the next few days in his own flat, intending to ignore any calls from Jack out of spite, but the other man never called. The first contact that he had had in days was his sister Rhiannon banging on his door, before forcing her way in and dragging him to get ready. He knew that she could tell that he didn’t want to go to the album launch, his sister had always been able to read him, at times better than he could read himself. It was obvious to her that something had happened, and she drew it out of him, before forcing him to accept that he had worked hard on the song, and that he should see its debut, even if it wasn't in the form that he had pictured it in. He hated to admit it, but she was right, and it was for that reason that he was sat in a hard plastic chair facing a stage in a huge crowd of teens with a few adults interspersed between them. He had caught sight of Toshiko and given her a small wave, but made no move to approach her. As much as he had liked the woman he was only there to see his work come to fruition, not to get embroiled with Jack once more. Once this night was over he intended to close this chapter of his life and make Rhiannon swear to kill him if he ever attempted to write so much as a shopping list with someone's help in the future.

He sat through the first couple of songs and had to admit that although he hadn't listened to her music much that Gwennie's style was different and interesting, but he still didn't think that it was right for his song, despite how much his niece and nephew were enjoying the style of music, along with nearly everyone under the age of thirty. He watched as the moment he had been waiting for arrived, Gwen speaking about a new song, one that hadn't been heard anywhere yet, a song written by Jack Harkness. He slumped in his seat, he knew that they hadn't parted on the best of terms, and that they had fought over the song, but he had never expected Jack to be completely like Lisa. He had thought that the man was honest enough to give him credit for his work. He stood, aiming to get out of there as quickly as he could so as not to have to hear his work being parroted across the room in a style that didn't suit in, under the guise of someone else’s work, when the words hit him.

I know that the past is gone,  
You showed me that,  
But I tried to hold on,  
Letting go was never easy,  
But that was what you tried to teach me.

You came into my life,  
Upsetting things,  
And causing strife,  
Showed me that things must change,  
As my life, my furniture, you rearranged.

Now I know that I hurt you,  
My words, my actions were cruel,  
That wasn’t what I meant to do,  
But you shook me up in ways I didn’t understand,  
You made me wanna hold onto your hand.

I know this doesn’t make things better,  
But this is all I had,  
I’m not a person who can write a letter,  
I wrote this in such a hurry,  
To try to say that I am sorry.

As soon as he heard the first line he knew that he was wrong, this wasn't his work, and to be honest as the song progressed it was obvious that Jack had written it, the lyrics were atrocious. Rhiannon had pulled him back down into his seat so that he could listen to the song to hear what the other man had to say. She really was a hopeless romantic, but he was sure that she wanted things to work out with him and Jack more for her benefit than anyone else’s, just so she could boast that her brother was dating Jack Harkness from Torchwood. He looked over and caught Toshiko's eye, she was watching him intently, obviously being instructed to report back his reaction to Jack. He stood once more as Jack brought his rather short and disastrous song to an end, making his way towards the stage and the backstage area. He nodded to Gwen's ever present head of security Rhys who came and let him backstage when one of the members of security insisted that he go back to his seat or leave.


	6. Chapter 6

Jack Harkness stared at his door that had just been slammed shut; he hadn't expected things to go that way. He knew that Ianto had been unhappy about wanting to change the song to fit in with Gwen's style, to be honest so was he, but he knew that it was what was necessary and he had thought that Ianto had understood that as well. The other man was by no means stupid or naive; he should have understood that at times you had to allow someone to do what they want with your work so that you can gain anything in the world. He couldn't help but be grateful that he had convinced the other man to finish the song before discussing the changes that Gwennie wanted to make, he didn’t' know what he would do with a partially complete song and no writing partner this close to the deadline, it was an even worse pinch to be left in than the one that Ianto had rescued him from. 

The other man's words lingered in his mind though as he went to bed that night though, although it didn't really make that much sense to him, but it seemed as though the man had been screwed over in the past by a writing partner. When he awoke the next morning it had been with a fresh wave of guilt as he thought about the events of the night before and he realised that he had treated Ianto just as badly as Lisa had. He resolved to make it up to the other man, but he wasn't sure how, he could call him and beg his forgiveness, but begging had never really been his style, that had always been John's purview. He couldn't take long to think about it though as he had to meet with Gwennie at the studio to record the song, and then they were going straight to press things, and then there was the concert.

When he got to the studio the first thing he heard was Gwennie wailing on about something or other about instrumentals and long sections of music. He tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention, hoping that she wouldn't yell at him like she had been yelling at her manager Andy. She turned to him and gave a short squeal before insisting that she was so happy to see him. He was then dragged into a recording studio and was pushed into a chair and given a set of headphones. Gwen took a space opposite him and smiled her gap-toothed smile at him.

"I've got it all set up, the new instruments sound great, it really fits my style." Gwen said happily. 

Jack just nodded, he didn't want to do this, it was all wrong, the music started up and he could tell that this was going to be a train wreck, this wasn't how he and Ianto had imagined the song, and no matter how much he needed this job, it didn't sit right with him the way the music was being transformed. He knew that this was supposed to be a duet, but it was also supposed to be a love song, and he wasn't sure that he could sing it as either with the new instrumental mix. He did however try, it wasn't very successful, and he could tell that Gwen wasn't very happy.

He wasn't sure when the idea came to him, maybe on the second disastrous run through of the song, or maybe it was when Gwen glared at him and told him that he wasn't trying hard enough, but what he was sure of was that it could work. He quickly informed Gwen that it wasn't working that he wasn't as versatile a performer she was and that the style of the song was not one that he could cope with, it was her style not his, and her style and music was unique. He seemed to be doing well in making her listen to him and his ideas, it seemed that flattery really was the best way to get someone to listen. He then recommended that they do the song with the original arrangement as a duet and she do the song in her style as a solo. It appeared to have worked, or she was at least considering it and he left her to her thoughts, making his way to Toshiko quickly and asking her to do a bit of reconnaissance for him. This would help him were Ianto was concerned, hopefully it would anyway, but he wasn't sure that it would be enough, He had hurt the other man, and he was positive that he was not the only one. That Ianto was so affected by what had happened between them showed that he was still not over what had happened the last time that he had taken things so strongly. He needed to move past the stage in his life that was encounters of a treacherous nature in writing.

Jack set Toshiko the job of tracking down Lisa Hallet, he heard the name before and knew that she wasn't someone hiding in anonymity, and finding out where she was and what she was doing with her life. When that was done he made his way back into the studio, hoping that he could get Gwennie to agree with him on the song, it was something that he knew would help him immensely if he managed to get her to revert back to the original version for a duet at least. He was sure that he could convince Ianto that a different style for a solo was alright, or if he couldn't then he was sure Toshiko could, the woman could do anything she set her mind to. Luckily for him, Gwen didn't seem to be too upset at the idea, to be honest he was sure that she was just sick of him not being able to keep up with her tempo, or getting confused by the new instrumental arrangement.

They spent the rest of the morning in the studio and part of the afternoon before they rushed off to a few different press events and then went to get ready for that evenings performance. He had considered phoning Ianto a few times, but had decided to surprise him instead. He had come up with something that he was sure would catch the other man's attention at the performance later, and he had convinced Gwen to allow him to do it, having explained that he really had to make things right with the other man. She had agreed, although he could tell that she wasn't convinced by whatever he was going to do, or his reasons for doing it, but she had agreed.

Singing that night on stage was absolutely terrifying for him, he had sung in front of an audience before, even an audience as judgemental as teenagers, but he had never really sung his own lyrics, and never really needed to get his words across. He wasn't a songwriter or a poet, he certainly knew that, but he had to let Ianto know that he was sorry. He watched the crowd, hoping that the other man got his message, even if his song was terrible. He watched him as he got up from his seat, and he hoped that he wasn't going to walk out, he had seen him try to leave once already, but instead he saw him walking up towards the stage and a smile crossed his face as Rhys let him backstage. Gwen ran back onto the stage to sing another song, allowing him to escape to speak with Ianto for a few minutes before their duet. A few minutes that he intended to make good use of, he wanted Ianto to know that he was sorry and that he wanted to try things between them. He knew that a professional and private relationship was hard to juggle, but he wanted to try with the other man. Gwen indicated that he should join her on stage once more and he did after getting Ianto's promise that he would wait for him and go to dinner with him.


	7. Chapter 7

Toshiko Sato smiled as she sat down at the table in the restaurant she had booked earlier that day. She had in all honesty though Jack was mad when he had asked her to research Lisa Hallet and find out where she would be that evening if she would be eating out, and if she was that they get a table in the same restaurant. She had wondered what he was up to, but it had become startlingly obvious when Ianto had rushed off towards the men’s room when he had heard the woman’s laughter. This was something to do with Ianto, maybe someone from his past, and Jack obviously thought he was helping in some way. Jack had rushed off after him and she had taken the time to assure her date, a doctor from the local hospital, Owen Harper, that her friends weren't crazy.

Jack had come back to the table after about ten minutes, in which Toshiko had enjoyed herself with the doctor, he was a rather abrasive personality, but he had a wit that she enjoyed. Jack had then stolen Owen away from the table and dragged him off towards the bathroom, leaving Toshiko at the table by herself. She didn't know what it was exactly that Jack was up to, but he better had not traumatise Owen, she actually quite liked this one. She waited a few more minutes, it was only about five minutes later that Owen came back, wearing Ianto's slightly crumpled outfit. He just looked at her with a smirk on his face when she asked what was going on, before jerking his head back towards the exit to the men’s room, which Ianto had just appeared from. 

He was wearing Owen's suit and looking a lot more presentable and put together, a lot more like the Ianto that she had met on previous occasions. Jack came out behind him pushing him over towards the woman who had made him take off like a startled rabbit. He wondered if Jack was trying to set the other man up, but she didn't think that that was likely, she had seen the way that Jack had eyed Ianto. They spoke with the woman for a few minutes, and Toshiko could see that Ianto wanted to be anywhere but there, or he had at the beginning anyway. As Jack spoke to the woman he seemed to become more confident, and was soon talking to the woman and then dismissing her and walking back to the table. Toshiko wasn't nosy, but she wanted to know what was going on, as Ianto sat back down he was looking more confident than she had seen him in the whole time she had known him, not that that had actually been a long time.

She didn't ask what had happened however, she would find out for herself later, she would know by the next day at the latest, it would be a test of her skills, she liked to test herself every now and again. Instead she settled in to eat the meal, joking and laughing about with the others. She smiled as Ianto and Jack toasted to a successful song, and the hopes of more in the future, she was glad that Jack had found a lyricist that he could work with. Even if Ianto would never consider himself to be a lyricist, that was what he was, or at least what he would be. She laughed when Jack asked if she would take Ianto on as a client as well, to make things easier for all of them. It would save Ianto looking for an agent, and save her having to liaise with anyone else, she could work better on her own.

Toshiko took Ianto on as a client.  
Gwennie and Jack’s duet went to number one.  
John from Torchwood was admitted to rehab.  
Jack and Ianto wrote many songs together.  
Lisa never released another book, of either her work or someone else’s.  
Rhiannon got Jack as a brother-in-law.  
Toshiko worked out what happened between Ianto and Lisa on her own.  
And she managed to get Owen Harper to stay in her life.


End file.
